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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27538909">you're the only one i could think to come to</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/raspberryghoulaid/pseuds/raspberryghoulaid'>raspberryghoulaid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Boys In Love, Canon Compliant, Comfort, Ej is soft for Ricky, Idiots in Love, LOTS of comforting, M/M, caswen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:36:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>852</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27538909</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/raspberryghoulaid/pseuds/raspberryghoulaid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ricky can put aside their history for a moment and fall into the arms of the boy he never thought he'd grow to like-much less fall in love with.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>EJ Caswell/Ricky Bowen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>you're the only one i could think to come to</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Hey, listen," EJ barely has any time to process what’s happening before Ricky’s tugging his costume jersey over his head and thrusting it into EJ’s direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What’s going on?" He falters back, taking in the younger boy’s troublesome expression. In fact, the more he scans the boy-from his trembling forearms to the sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead-the more worried EJ becomes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You need to do the second act," Ricky tells him without missing a beat. "As Troy." Despite their rather rocky track record, EJ feels his concern for the boy grow with each passing moment, as Ricky’s condition only seems to worsen the longer he stands there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sick?" EJ furrows his brow, and on instinct, he nearly reaches out to let his fingers brush the other boy’s forehead, much like his own mother would do when <em>he</em> was sick. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I’m good," Ricky shakes his head unconvincingly. "Just, not good enough to help Nini get to where she wants to go." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you talking about-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m screwing up out there!" Ricky cuts him off, running his fingers haphazardly through his curls. "I-I can’t blow this for Nini. There’s someone in the audience who could <em>change Nini’s life</em>. She needs her best shot to impress them." Ricky takes a step forward, right into his personal space, and EJ is suddenly aware how much smaller the boy is than him. "Will you do it?" It’s hard to miss the way Ricky’s voice threatens to give out on him, or how white his knuckles are as he clutches the jersey in his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>EJ sighs. <em>This is what you’ve been waiting for, isnt it?</em> "Go on, take it." Ricky urges once more, holding the jersey out so the fabric brushes against EJ’s skin, and it’s all right there. His chance to take the lead, to impress Nini, to <em>shine</em>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ricky......that isn’t the only thing that’s bothering you, is it?" He says after what feels like eons of silence, rejecting the offering. Ricky’s eyes widen, his lips parting just slightly in awe at the fact that EJ wasn’t just taking the jersey and leaving him in the dust; instead, <em>EJ was looking out for him.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>"N-no," Ricky breathes, finding it impossible to lie in the heat of the moment. "My parents......" He starts, waiting for any sign of regret from EJ, that the senior was only asking to be polite and didn’t truly care about his wellbeing. "My mom brought her new boyfriend to the show." He finally manages to say, avoiding EJ’s gaze at all costs. "I actually thought my parents were getting better, that they <em>wanted</em> to get better." The tears are beginning to well in his eyes and all Ricky can think is <em>I can’t believe I’m crying in front of EJ.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a silence after that, and Ricky thinks EJ has left, that he realized how messed up Ricky actually was and bailed; and then he feels arms wrap around his body, and hand on the nape of his neck, and he falls apart right there. Tears stream down his cheeks and soak EJ’s jersey as Ricky buries his face in the senior’s chest, returning the embrace without hesitance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ricky, I’m so sorry." It’s a ghost of a whisper, but it’s there, and it only makes Ricky hug him tighter, because right here, right now, Ricky Bowen is breaking, and EJ’s the only one he has to pick up the pieces. Not even Nini, or Big Red, both of whom he forgets about completely as he releases all of the pent up stress and tension he feels into EJ’s arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s shirtless, and EJ’s nearly a foot taller than he is, and it should be incredibly awkward, but it isn’t. EJ is holding him tighter then he’s ever been held, and Ricky is soaking up every ounce of comfort the other boy is giving him. When he eventually finds the strength to break away, it’s with red, swollen eyes and stained cheeks. "Hey," EJ says, with a softness in his voice Ricky wouldn’t have believed he was capable of. "You are enough for Nini, for anybody. And you were killing it out there, man. Why can’t you see how talented you are?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ricky’s eyes meet his, and the words make him smile, even if just for a moment. "You <em>can</em> do this, Bowen." EJ smirks, wiping the tears from Ricky’s cheek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And suddenly Ricky’s not thinking about Nini anymore, or anyone else out there waiting for him. He’s not thinking about his mom, or his dad, certainly not his mom’s new boyfriend-who, frankly, can go die in hell anyways. (Okay, he didn’t mean that, he’s just in a mood.) Instead, he’s more than surprised to catch himself contemplating <em>I wonder what would happen if I kissed EJ</em>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he can find out, however, EJ’s taking Ricky’s hand, carefully folding his fingers over the cheap red fabric of the costume jersey. "Getcha head in the game, wildcat," He teases, his bright green orbs flickering with assurance and-something else Ricky couldn’t quite place. "We’ve still got Act II." </span>
</p>
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